As he reached the dressing room at Pride Park, with only a goal from Filip Twardzik as consolation from a 4-1 defeat from Derby, Neil Lennon would have been reminded of some familiar names from the past as results from elsewhere came through.
Bolton’s 4-1 defeat at Derby killed off any hopes of a play-off place as the initial bounce from Lennon’s arrival wears off and the transfer window failed to see any significant arrivals.
As he came to terms with that defeat news that Gary Hooper, Joe Ledley, Ki Sung Yeung and Beram Kayal were on the score-sheet elsewhere must have brought a wry smile to the former Celtic manager’s face.
All four men were key figures in Lennon’s first title winning side with Hooper, Ledley and Kayal among his first batch of signings in the summer of 2010.
Fresh from their visit to Hampden to see Celtic reach the final of the League Cup Hooper and Ledley showed the way with crucial goals for their new clubs.
Ledley scored the only goal of the game away to Leicester as Crystal Palace lifted themselves upto 13th place, six points ahead of third bottom Hull City.
At the Liberty Stadium Ki scored with a second half header to earn Swansea a draw at home to Sunderland- the side that he spent last season on loan with.
In the Championship Gary Hopper grabbed his first hat-trick as a Norwich player as the Canaries won 4-0 against a Blackpool side that included Darren O’Dea.
After the match Norwich boss Alex Neil said: “I should imagine Gary Hooper was disappointed he wasn’t playing last week (the 0-0 draw at Birmingham) and all credit to him for his response.
“He worked really hard today, as the whole group did, and he got his reward. He took his first two goals really well and showed what a good finisher he is. We now need to get the maximum out of him week in, week out.”
Also in the Championship Kayal marked his Brighton debut with a last minute headed goal in the 3-2 home defeat from Nottingham Forest.
